TWiki Variables

Special text strings expand on the fly to display user data or system info

TWikiVariables are text strings - %VARIABLE% - that expand into content whenever a page is rendered for viewing. VARIABLES are replaced by data, either user-entered or automatically generated by TWiki (like the date, or the current username). There are predefined variables, and Preference variables that you can configure. You can also define custom variables, with new names and values.

Notes:

To leave a variable unexpanded, precede it with an exclamation point, e.g. type !%TOPIC% to get %TOPIC%.

Variables are expanded relative to the topic they are used in, not the topic they are defined in.

Predefined Variables

Most predefined variables return values that were either set in the lib/twiki.cfg file, when TWiki was installed, or taken from server info (like current username, or date and time). Many of the variables let you format the appearance of the display results.

Take the time to thoroughly read through ALL preference variables. If you actively configure your site, review variables periodically. They cover a wide range of functions, and it can be easy to miss the one perfect variable for something you have in mind. For example, see %INCLUDINGTOPIC%, %INCLUDE%, and the mighty %SEARCH%.

Sort the results of search by the topic names, topic creation time, last modified time, last editor, or named field of TWikiForms. The sorting is done web by web; in case you want to sort across webs, create a formatted table and sort it with TablePlugin's initsort

Sort by topic name

limit="all"limit="16"

Limit the number of results returned. This is done after sorting if order is specified

SPACEDTOPIC -- topic name, spaced and encoded

STARTINCLUDE -- start position of topic text if included

If present in included topic, start to include text from this location up to the end, or up to the location of the %STOPINCLUDE% variable. A normal view of the topic shows everyting exept the %STARTINCLUDE% variable itself.

TOC -- table of contents of current topic

TOC{"Topic"} -- table of contents

Syntax: %TOC{"SomeTopic" ...}%

Table of Contents. Shows a TOC that is generated automatically based on headings of a topic. Headings in WikiSyntax ("---++ text") and HTML ("<h2>text</h2>") are taken into account. Any heading text after "!!" is excluded from the TOC; for example, write "---+!! text" if you do not want to list a header in the TOC

WEB -- name of current web

WEBLIST{"format"} -- index of all webs

List of all webs. Hidden webs are excluded, e.g. webs with a NOSEARCHALL=on preference variable. The "format" defines the format of one web item. The $name variable gets expanded to the name of the web, $qname gets expanded to double quoted name, $marker to marker where web matches selection.

Default state of the link check box in the attach file page. Check box is initially checked if value is set to CHECKED , unchecked if empty. If checked, a link is created to the attached file at the end of the topic. Value is:

%DENYTOPICCHANGE%

(any topic)

List of users and groups who are not allowed to change the current topic. (More in TWikiAccessControl)

%DENYTOPICCHANGE%

%DENYTOPICRENAME%

(any topic)

List of users and groups who are not allowed to rename the current topic. (More in TWikiAccessControl)

%DENYTOPICRENAME%

%DENYWEBCHANGE%

WL

List of users and groups who are not allowed to change topics in the UAIWiki web. (More in TWikiAccessControl)

Exclude web from a web="all" search (set variable to on for hidden webs)

%RELEASEEDITLOCKCHECKBOX%

SL , UL

Default state of the "Release edit lock" (UnlockTopic) check box in preview. Checkbox is initially checked if Set RELEASEEDITLOCKCHECKBOX = checked="checked", or unchecked if empty. If checked, make sure to click on Edit to do more changes; do not go back in your browser to the edit page, or you risk that someone else will edit the topic at the same time! Value is:

Note: There are some more useful variables defined in the TWikiPreferences like %BR% for line break, colors like %RED% for colored text and small icons like %H% for a Help icon.

Setting Preferences

The syntax for Preferences Variables is the same anywhere in TWiki (on its own TWiki bullet line, including nested bullets): [multiple of 3 spaces] * [space] Set [space] VARIABLENAME [space] = [value]Examples:

Set VARIABLENAME = value

Set VARIABLENAME = value

Creating Custom Variables

You can add your own Preference Variables for us across an entire site or a single web, using the standard #SettingPrefsPreferences syntax. Whatever you include in your Variable will be expanded on display, exactly as if it had been entered directly. You can place formatted text, page links, image paths.

Example: Create a custom logo variable the TWiki web

To place a logo anywhere in a web by typing %MYLOGO%, define the Variable on the web"s WebPreferences page, and upload a logo file, ex: mylogo.gif. You can upload by FileAttachmentattaching? the file to WebPreferences, or, to avoid clutter, to any other topic in the same web, ex: LogoTopic: